Beginning October 17, 2011 with the launch of the Santa Paws Scratch-off, we launched a Facebook promotion looking for the cutest dogs and cats in Maryland. Two grand prize winners will each receive $100 worth of Maryland Lottery Santa Paws Scratch-Off tickets, a pet-themed gift basket valued at $250, and a graphic on mdlottery.com featuring their pet. The remaining 18 semi-finalists each receive $20 worth of Maryland Lottery Santa Paws scratch-off tickets.

We had an overwhelming response with more than 1,000 entries. A random selection determined the 20 semi-finalists, followed by a player vote to decide the grand prize winners. So without further ado: